Continuous muffle-kiln.



PATBNTED MAY 24, 1904.

T. S. NIGKERSON. CONTINUOUS MUFFLE KILN.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1o. 1899.

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WITNESSEE SMM lfff@ No. 760,551. v PATENTED MAY 24, 1904. T. S. NICKERSON. CONTINUOUS MUFFLE KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19,4 1899. N0 MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

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110.760,551. PATENTED MAYM, 1904.

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CONTINUOUS MUFFLE KILN.

APPLIoATIoN PILEDAUG. 19. 1899. No Monm.. e SHEHTS-BHEBT a.

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I VENTE No. 760,551. PATENTED' MAY 24, 1904. T. S. NIGKERSON..

CONTINUOUS MUPFLE KILN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19. 1899. No MODEL. BHEETS-HHBLT 4.

- v PATBNTED MAY 24, 1904. T. S. NIGKBRSON. CONTINUOUS MUFFLE KILN. APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. 1 9, 1899.

N0 MODEL.

NVENTD @AJP N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

- T. S. NIGKERSON.

CONTINUOUS MUFFLE KILN.

APPLIOATION FILED 119.19, 1899.

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'NVENTEIR IO. l760,551.

UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

CONTINUOUS MUFFLE-KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,551, dated May 24, 1904.

Application inea August 19, 1899.

T0 nel?, whom, it 19o/ty concern,.- y

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. Nroknason, of Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State or' Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Muiie-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to kilns, and more particularly to that class designated as continuous militie-kilns, and is expressly designed t'or baking light pottery or tiles, enameling or glazing articles ot' clay or metal, and for firing overglaze or underglaze decorations on china, pottery, or other Ware.

The invention has for its object to provide certain improvements in muiile-kilns to simplit'y their construction, enhance their eiliciency, and increase their convenience of operation and their economy, andjurther, to provide a certain construction and arrangement ot' parts whereby the temperatures of the several compartments may remain constant and be sustained indelinitely and wherein the various processes of ceramic work can be performed either singly or simultaneously.

To these ends the invention comprises eertain improvements which are illustrated on the drawings and which I shall now describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part ot' this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a kiln embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig'. 4 represents a section on the line t t of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a section on the line 5 5 ot' Fig. 3. Fig. 6 reprel sents an end elevation. Fig. 7 represents a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and ll represent views of the means 'tor introducing the material to be treated .to the interior or' the kiln.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I provide a kiln a, having a series of furnaces arranged to communicate with ilues or passages c intermediate of the furnaces and the chimneysd ci. Said flues or passages pass around Serial No. 727,764. (No model.)

chambers ef g in the interior of the kiln and communicate heat from the furnaces thereto. The chambers e and g, las shown in Fig. 3, extend laterally ol the kiln and are adapted to contain tracks 71, 1to1' the reception ot' a plurality of cars L, which operate as a transfer arrangement t'or introducing the material to theditierent compartments ot' the kiln. The chamber c has at its ends passages fa.' and y', adapted to receive a car or vehicle f', upon which the material to be treated is placed and which is conducted to the passages by a suitable track (not shown) and passed through them on the tracks z" therein. A

As said, the kiln is provided with a central elongated chamber f, which communicates at either end with the chambers e and g, being provided with a track which permits the passage of a vehicle thereon between the lastn mentioned chambers. The latter is also provided with a transfer car or vehicle la, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

The central chamberf is provided with vertically-movable partitions l, adapted to be raised and lowered by any suitable means, here shown as provided with a chain mf, Fig. 5, one end of which is secured to the upper portion of the partition and the other end secured to one arm m of a double segment wifi. From the other arm n of the segment depends a eounterweight o, Fig. 5, secured thereto by a chain p, the arrangement being such that the weight o, being' but slightly lighter than the partition, permits the latter to be readily raised and lowered.

By the above-described arrangement of the partitions the chambers may be separated or may communicate, whereby the attendant is enabled to vary the degree ot' heat in the different compartments to suit the work being performed.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a transverse longitudinal section through the chamber e, in which is shown the arrangement of one oi the furnaces o and its relation to said chamber. A passage c surrounds the chamber and communicates with the furnace at either end thereof, so that the products oli combustion may entirely surround the chamber previous to escaping' through the chimney d.

A suitable 10o damper or register q is operated by a rod r to open or close the chimney-flue s to regulate the combustion of the fuel in the furnace and vary the temperature of the chamber: Peep-holes t are provided, through which the attendant may be enabled to inspect the condition of the furnace or chamber and also to move the transfer-car by means of a suitable implement, such as a rod, &c.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a cross-sectional view through the central chamber f and one of the furnaces connected therewith, together with the main chimney (Z and passages c, intermediate of the latter and the furnace. The furnaces 7) under the central chamber f (of which I have shown three, although I may have any suitable number) are connected by the flues c to the chimney (Z, the passages surrounding the chamberf being substantially similar to those shown in Fig. 7, with the eX- ception that the three furnaces Z are connected with one chimney (Z, the two outer furnaces b each having laterally-extending flues Zf Z5, leading to the chimney (Z. Suitable dampers q serve to regulate the draft in furnaces Z2', and peep-holes Z7 are arranged in connection with the centralchamber, so as to enable the attendent to see the material being treated.

The vertically movable partitions Z are adapted to move in a guide n, projecting upwardly from the body of the kiln and having an opening s, through which the chain passes at the top thereof. When the partitions are lowered to subdivide the chamber f, the openings are closed to prevent the escape of heat by a cap u, adjustably secured to the chain m by a set-screw o or other suitable means.

fw, Figs. 2 and 6, represents a door which closes an opening w in the end of the kiln, said door having a peep-hole through which a rod is introduced to move the cars from the transfer-car ZL into the chamber f.

A similar arrangement to the above is provided in connection with the chamber g, by which the cars are drawn from chamber f onto the transfer-car 7b3 in chamber g.

The material to be treated, as before stated, is placed upon a suitable car Z1, Figs. 8 and 9. Said car is provided with a series of platforms 1/ for the reception of the tile or other material to be treated.

ZL', Figs. l0 and 1l, represents a car adapted to su pport a track It? upon a suitable frame its and having truck-wheels adapted to engage the rails ZL in the chambers e g. The track /L7 is mounted upon the car so as to register with the tracks in the passages t' 7' and are adapted to receive the car Z5 therefrom, the arrangement being such that when the car Z@ is placed upon the track /f the car ZL is moved laterally, so as to register with the track in the chamber f and the car Zo is transferred thereto, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7.

By the system of independent lire-boxes,

flues, dampers, and drop-doors I am able to keep the temperature of the several chambers and sections of chamber f at different degrees, ranging' from a moderate drying heat in the passages of chamber e to the fusing-point of enamels in thecenter of chamber f. After the kiln is once heated to the proper temperatu re the requisite heat can be retained in the various chambers with very little fuel, an intelligent use of the dampers qand q enabling the attendant to force the heat from the furnaces through the walls of the mu'le.

The method of operating the kiln is as follows: A loaded car Zz is introduced through the door into passage t' or L7' and subjected to a moderate heat. After receiving a proper amount of drying it is propelled, by means of a rod passed through a peep-hole in the door of t' or j, onto the transfer-car ZL', and into the passage just vacated by the first car a second car is entered. By the use of two transfercars on track Zt in chamber e four cars can thus be kept subject to heating preparatory to introduction into the divisions of the long chamber f. When the car Zt* on transfer Zt has received the proper temperature, the transfer-car ZL is pushed half-way across chamber e bythe use of arod inserted through peephole 2f until the tracks ZL? register with the tracks in chamber f, in which the dropdoors Z are all down. 'Ihe first door Zis then raised and the car Z, is pushed off from theI transfer-car ZL onto the track Z in chamber f by means of a rod inserted through the peep-hole in door w. The rst door Z is then dropped and the transfer-car ZL/ is drawn back and is ready to receive the car which has been standing in the passage 27 orj, and a new car is introduced from the outside to take the place of the latter. When the car in the first division of chamberf has received the proper temperature, as observed through peep-hole Z7, the firstand second doors of the chamber f are raised and the car is propelled by means of a rod operated through a peep-hole in door w into the center section of chamber f, where it receives the amount of heat necessary to properly bake, enamel, or lire the articles under treatment. After the introduction of said car into the central section of chamber f the second door Z is dropped and another car is introduced into first section of f from the transfer-car Zt in chamber e by the process already described and the first door Z is dropped. I/Vhen the articles on the car in the central section of f have been properly baked, enameled` glazed, or fired, as the case may be, the third and fourth drop-doors of chamber f are raised and the car is withdrawn from the central section by means of a rod inserted through a peep-hole in the door of chamber r, corresponding with door w in chamber e, into the third section of f and the third and fourth doors Z are dropped, where it is left until the car which succeeds IOC IIO

it in the central section of f requires in its turn to be withdrawn. At that time the drop-door No. 4L is raised and the car in the third section of f is drawn ofi' onto the transfer r in chamber f/ by means of a rod inserted in the end door and the transfer /af is drawn over by means of a rod inserted in peepdiole t, so that the rails of the transfer register with the tracks of the passages issuing therefrom. The car is then drawn from the transfer by rods or endless chains into the passages or cooling-leers, which are of suiiicient length to allow the articles on the car to thoroughly cool before being taken into the open air.

It will be observed that each of the elongated or cross chambers e and r/ extends both sides of the line of the central partitioned chamber, and each of said cross-chambers has a passage, as and j, provided with tracks and communicating with the side of said crosschamber opposite to the connection of the latter with the central chamber. Therefore a car may be inserted or discharged through either of the passages, so that if it be desired that a particular car shall remain for a longer time subjected to heat in one of the crosschambers such car may be left in one of said passages or in the projecting portion of the cross-chamber opposite such passage, while the other of the pair of entrance or exit passages may be utilized for the continuous operation hereinbefore described. Owing tothe fact that each cross-chamber has tracks and a furnace independent of the means for heating the compartments of the central chamber', the relative j )redetermined degrees of tempera ture may be better obtained than where a single furnace for the entire series of chambers is employed or where the furnaces are employed only for a central chamber or series of central chambers.

This construction is especially useful in the firing, &c., of line ware, where the degree of temperature applied is of the greatest importance. As will be obvious, the laden car being moved from one compartment having' a predetermined temperature to one of higher or lower temperature, as the case may be, the succeeding compartment also having its temperature known, the operator is able to not only insure the proper iiring, Sac., but the sucj cessive cars or trucks being passed through the same temperaturea surety is had that the product will be uniform in all respects. Furthermore, as necessity may arise the temperature in the sepa 'ate compartments may be varied, either by the use of the dampers or by an increase of the heating medium, without materially affecting the temperature of the adjacent compartments, so that where it is desired, for instance, to change the temperature ofthe compartment between the iirst compartment and the compartment of highest temperature to a higher or lower degree, as the material operated upon majT best need, such change can be readily made without affecting the temperature of the middle or end chambers or com partments, thereby, in eli'ect, providing means for independently controlling the temperature of the several compartments, a result not possible where a single heatingchamber is used from which the heat is led around the adjacent compartments to the point of exit, thus heating the adjacent chambers to less degree of temperature than the chamber being primarily heatedthis for the reason that in the latter case any attempt to vary the temjvieraturc of the adjacent chambers would result in changing the temperature of the primarily-heated chamber, the relative degrecs of temperature in the several chambers being maintained through the several changes in temperature which might be made.

As one car succeeds another closely in the various chambers, the kiln is kept constantly iilled, and a fresh car enters the kiln whenever a car-load of linished articles is withdrawn from the cooling chamber or leer.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without having attempted to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, 1 declare that what I claim is l. A kiln of the character specified comprising a heating-chamber having a track, a furnace for continuously heating said chamber to a predetermined high temjjierature, a chamber elongated from front to rear and adapted. to receive the articles to be initially heated, a cooling-chamber elongated from front to rear, each of said last-mentioned chambers having an independent furnace, and each of said lastmentioned chambers having a plurality of inlets cach inlet having a track, there being normally closed apertures leading from said heating-chamber to each of the elongated chambers, and devices for transferring cars from one track to another, whereby articles may be initially heated in one chamber, heated to the maximum degree of temperature in the second chamber, and cooled in and discharged from the third chamber without lowering the temperature of the said second chamber.

2. A kiln of the character described comprising a series of heating-chambers of substantially equal lateral width, each of said chambers having a track running longitudinally of the chamber, the tracks of the several chambers being in alinement, a chamber located at each end of said series of chambers, each of the end chambers being elongated from front to rear and each having a track eX- tending longitudinally of the chamber and at an angle to the tracks of the series of chambers, movable doors located between each of the said chambers and end chambers, whereby each chamber may be made independent of the adjacent chambers, an independent furnace for each of said chambers and end cham- IOO IIC:

hers, said furnaces continuously heating the .In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of tivo Witnesses.

THOMAS S. NICKERSON.

Titnessesz P. C. LITTLE, THOMAS HUMPHREYS. 

